Marco Crisciotti Let's discover the lesser-known side of Andy Warhol: his love for cats, transformed into art with the book “25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy”.
By Flickr
The self-proclaimed king of Pop Art, Andy Warhol, was a feline enthusiast, and his mother had the same love. But it wasn’t a fleeting infatuation—Warhol lived with at least 25 cats, all of which were named “Sam,” except for one, which was called “Blue Pussy.”.
This strange cat friendship, playful though it is, is less familiar to the public than any other part of the artist’s life. Yet, Warhol’s cats were not only pets but also inspiration and, by proxy, introduction to his signature style, one that is all about repetition and vivid color.
A house full of Sam
In the 1950s, when Warhol had not yet taken over the art world, he lived with his mother, Julia, in a small apartment in Manhattan on East 57th Street. The house was originally occupied by a single cat, Hester, but later Warhol and his mother filled the house with 25 cats, all of which were “Sam.”.
By Flickr
This dream-like and ironic choice was perfect for Warhol’s offbeat personality, and it did not end there with his life. In 1954, he wrote a book titled 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy. Yes, that is right: “Name” instead of “Named.” The grammatical mistake on the cover was never corrected because Warhol liked it in its strange beauty.
A book which is an indication of his love of cats
The book is a glimpse into the lesser-known side of Warhol. It contains sixteen lithographs of simply cats, all with handwritten annotations by his mother, Julia Warhola. The cats, sketched with delicate black lines and painted in Warhol’s signature bright hues, reveal a new vulnerability from an artist who is best known for his obsession with mass culture and consumerism.
This work illustrates Warhol’s fascination with repetition, a theme that would define his career. Each cat is unique in color and detail, but together they form a composition that foreshadows his serial imagery and variation—traits of Pop Art.
The blotted line technique
The cat lithographs were created through the blotted line technique, a process that Warhol had mastered as a commercial artist. It involved drawing with ink on paper and printing the lines on another sheet through pressure, leaving the lines in irregular and distinct outlines. The result was both graphic and intimate, something that would become characteristic of his style later on.
A rare and valuable work
Currently, 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy is a highly sought-after collector’s item. The original lithographs, often hand-colored by Warhol or his assistants, are highly coveted by collectors and show a more intimate side of the artist.
Warhol’s fascination with animals didn’t end at cats. Later in his career, he continued to be fascinated with the animal world with works such as the Endangered Species series, which had Siberian tigers and other endangered species, highlighting the environmental conservation cause.
Andy Warhol’s cats were, in a way, an extension of his world. He celebrated with them the mundane moments of life and turned them into extraordinary works of art. Even today, those many Sams reveal a lesser-known facet of Warhol, reminding us that behind every iconic greatness there is a human tale waiting to be revealed.
